"It has been slowly but surely gathering momentum ever since with greater numbers of sales and less days on the market,'' he said.

"The resurgent activity was centred around the low to mid-range priced properties, but now the big ticket ones are in demand again.''

The agency listed an apartment on Noosa's famous beachfront strip for $7.5million and sold it last month on a 14-day cash contract.

Earlier this year US buyers snapped up a house in the beachfront residential enclave called Beaches for $5.6million

Mr Offermann said that while a lot of buyers come from Brisbane, the Noosa market was well supported by southern interests.

Prices have adjusted across all price levels, he said, and there are discounts of 25% to 30% up for grabs.

"Noosa is one of those locations that most people aspire to have a position in.

"There is still some great value around, but the better deals are being snapped up.''

Yet you don't need millions to own a slice a Noosa. Mr Offermann said there were 450 sales under $500,000 in the past year.

"The market is not on fire,'' he said, "but I am confident that it is firmly in recovery phase.''

Dowling & Neylan principal Dan Neylan said the strength of the Noosa brand was evident by the continuing consistency in sales volumes.

"There has been significant take-up of existing properties on the market as we head into summer,'' he said. "We have seen a second wave of new listings come through.

"People are offering properties for sale buoyed by the increased confidence that the market is moving again.''

Most activity is on the waterfront properties across Noosa, especially residential homes, Mr Neylan said, as well as in the lower and mid range.

"It's widespread,'' he said. "If the property offers value the buyers are acting ... they are very price driven.

"If they see value, they act ... if not, they wait for something else to come along.''

Mr Neylan underlined the importance of vendors still needing to price accurately.

He said auctions played a significant part in the 2012 market.

"Auctions bring buyers to the negotiating table, that was the biggest advantage.''

A highpoint of the year was Dowling & Neylan salesman Luke Chen's sale of four beachfront units in Tingirana on Hastings St to the one buyer for in excess of $8m.

Looking forward, Mr Neylan expects the next 12 months will be the optimum time to buy in Noosa.

"People waiting in the shadows waiting should realise we are coming off the bottom of the market,'' he said. "Take advantage of the next 12 months as it moves into positive territory.

Prices are not going up in the Noosa hinterland but buyers are actively looking for more expensive properties.

Hinternoosa principal Murray Brown said a string of higher-end sales in the Noosa hinterland for the agency at the end of November had pushed the average price up from the $600,000s for the month to well into the $900,000s.

At Coolum Beach, Noel Mooney wishes he had a crystal ball to see what 2013 holds for the property market.

The principal and partner of North Shore Realty Coolum Beach said the holiday period was "looking good for tourists."

Mr Mooney and the North Shore teams at Marcoola and Coolum Beach are seeing a lot of interstate buyers coming back into the market.

"They're looking for an investment now to move into when they retire," he said. "They just love our area."

"The unit and apartment market will be more attractive in 2013 than in the past," he added. Prices in general may not have increased dramatically during 2012, but Mr Mooney is confident they have stablised.

"I also believe that the time on the market for properties has shortened," he said.

In the eyes of Andy Lake of PRDnationwide Coolum Beach, the past 12 months have been a year of transition.

Mr Lake believes the recovery is being driven by a marked increase in the volume of sales, as reported by recent data from REIQ.

Data collated across the June quarter to September quarter found a noteworthy growth of 43.4% in this area.

It's a figure which Mr Lake expects will grow to even higher numbers in 2013.

For more on property, pick up your copy of Domain free in Saturday's Sunshine Coast Daily.